


A Thread-Thin Line

by be_dazzled06



Series: Invincible Armada [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complete, F/M, One Shot, SasuSaku - Freeform, Sasuke x Sakura - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26544781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_dazzled06/pseuds/be_dazzled06
Summary: Sakura is looked down for being ordinary and being a woman. So, she takes revenge on the evil snob, Sasuke Uchiha. But... sometimes, plans backfire.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: Invincible Armada [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870582
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	A Thread-Thin Line

**Author's Note:**

> This is some sort of alternative Naruto universe where no parent died. lol.
> 
> Borrowed Concepts:
> 
> Shinobi – ninja  
> Hokage – leader and protector of the village

Sakura came out of her tent very exhausted and very much insulted. Still a seething mess as she marched out of her one-person tent to give that backward-thinking, woman-hater a piece of her mind. Oh, she was going to give it to him good. That Uchiha guy probably sensed her plan, that's why he wasn't there at the camp. Her jade eyes automatically searched for his tent standing opposite to hers; it was zipped open and empty of one dark-haired Shinobi. Maybe, he was hiding from Sakura and maybe, it was the wisest decision he ever made since shutting up when her penetrating glower told him to.

"Oi, Sakura-chan!" The golden-haired beamed at her. His toothy smile a total contrast to what Sakura was always receiving from the other third of Konoha's Team 7.

"You're still eating?" Sakura walked up to Naruto, deciding against sitting next to him near the fire. She still had some scolding to do. But as she ambled toward him, the young healer winced at him, scrunching her nose at the ramen cup still hot in his hands.

"Wan' some?"

Sakura only gave him a disapproving look to which Naruto was accustomed to by now. Being the son of the current Hokage wasn't as grand as they make it out to be, Sakura realized, as she watched the said son slurp up the noodles with the loudest and most irritating sound possible to man. It was one of the young medic's pet peeves and it was making her want to hit something – or _someone_.

"Have you seen the Grinch?"

She did not understand his response but Sakura assumed he meant to say 'Sasuke'. They both came up with the codename since both Naruto and Sakura were at the receiving ends of Sasuke's subtle but palpable derisive prejudice. The arrogant, 'my smile is too precious to waste on you' Uchiha branded the two the second he laid his charcoal eyes on them and quickly decided Naruto and Sakura weren't worth his time.

Naruto continued to talk while limp noodles hanged between his lips and the vein on Sakura's forehead threatened to pop. Talking with a mouthful was another one of Sakura's pet peeves. So, she decided it was better for her and her poor vein to be away from the bumpkin as far as possible.

"Well, I'm just gonna go find him and hammer some manners into that rich snob." Sakura started for the darker part of the forest.

Sasuke was probably somewhere out there doing some secret training so he could rub the fact on both Naruto and Sakura's faces that his skill was a hundred levels above the two. But what really pushed her buttons was the fact that Sasuke Uchiha was right. Sakura could never catch up to his skills even if she trained until training actually killed her. She was just a medical ninja, after all, while Sasuke hailed from one of the founder clans of Konoha and one of the strongest, most influential families, a fact he never forgot to remind her. He was the son of the chief of the Konoha Military Police Force and was believed to follow in the footsteps of his father and older brother in serving in the force.

She, on the other hand, was a plain civilian before enrolling into the Academy. No family influence, no power, no great feats under her family's name. But Sakura had one of the highest marks in the Academy despite being a regular Haruno and she trained religiously to become more powerful, even earning the spot to train under the Great Tsunade, one which was highly coveted. She ought to be proud of herself but if given the opportunity; the young medic wished she'd be assign to some other team. Of all the people she could team up with, Sakura had to be stuck with the annoying son of the Hokage and arrogant heir of the Uchiha Clan.

Well, it wasn't like Sakura chose to be part of that team. So, the feelings were mutual.

"Dammit!" She kicked a pebble so hard that it hit deep a trunk of tree.

Why couldn't she be with Ino? Hell, she'd even choose Rock Lee any day, despite his bothersome flirting towards her, if that meant she could lose the shackles from the Grinch, the wicked demon lord that walked on earth.

Naruto, she could deal with. But Sasuke?

She remembered the argument they had earlier that day. At the mission briefing, the very first time the three of them were officially introduced to each other, Sasuke had managed to insult her for being a civilian and for being a woman. He not only announced to the world his disappointment being chosen into such a low class team but had gladly pronounced that 'the girl' would only slow him down in the mission. He said he'd rather do it on his own.

"What a prick!" She screamed into the air. "He thinks just because he's an Uchiha that he was above everyone else?"

If the old Oak could talk, he would politely ask the young woman not to glare at him.

"I'll show him."

She stopped for a second, shutting her eyes close to concentrate, straining her ears to listen to the muffled noise. She followed the sound, clearing the path toward where it was coming from. With every step she took, the sound of the steady fall of water calmed her nerves down. Her anger slowly ebbed away but was gradually replaced by a feeling of sleepiness. Fatigue slowly caught up with Sakura and her tired muscles was begging her to jump into the promising bath in the waterfalls. What with all the arguing and glaring she engaged herself with that arrogant bastard. It wasn't such a bad idea, she thought. A good bath could wash away all those anger she'd been harboring against the youngest son of the Head of the Uchiha clan.

The moment her jade eyes found the source, her body demanded she jumped right into the shining water pooling at the foot of the magical falls. She was about to give in, starting to peel off her jacket, but stopped when she realized someone has beaten her to it. A surge of panic and, if Sakura was being honest, a sense of shame too, forced her to hide completely behind one of those large rocks that surrounded the pool. Her decency told her to walk away and return to camp. Let whoever it was to enjoy some private bath time. But curiosity had always gotten the better of Sakura. She poked her head, adjusting her vision to see clearer. Sakura's eyes widened when she realized who it was – butt-naked Sasuke Uchiha himself, showering under the falling water.

With Sasuke's back on her, the very curious jade eyes had a full, unobstructed and front-row-seat view of Mr. Uchiha's butt cheeks gloriously resplendent in the moonlight. Sakura's mouth ran dry. So much so that she contemplated to drink the water from the pool just for a second. She probably shouldn't since it wasn't purified.

 _Sasuke Uchiha's gloriousness must have had them purified_ , a voice in her head suggested. Absent-mindedly, outer Sakura nodded in agreement. Who could blame her when that evil woman-hater possessed that perfect round and firm butts just waiting for a bite?

She slapped herself for thinking such dirty thoughts and scolded her inner Sakura. _Weren't we mad at him?_ Inner Sakura said she wasn't – not at all. As a matter of fact, Inner Sakura could really have a taste of those, "No!" Sakura probably said it too loud as the unwitting Sasuke turned around to her direction.

The young medic quickly plunged behind the rock, slapping both hands over her mouth to keep herself quiet and wishing Sasuke wouldn't make anything out of what he heard. For all he knew, it could have been a wolf low-whistling when it saw the tushy too. _Because who wouldn't?_ Sakura hit herself on the head to stop thinking dirty butt-related thoughts.

The peeping tom waited quietly behind a large, misshapen rock; cautiously poking her head out of the edge to make sure Sasuke wasn't suspecting anything. When he had his back on her again, undisturbed from enjoying the natural shower, Sakura peeled her eyes away from the tushy region – which proved to be a struggle because Inner Sakura was lonely – and up his muscular back and then finally, at Sasuke's beautiful side features in full view now that he tilted his head on the side. He looked like a character from a romantic novel came to life, bathing under the silvery illumination of the moon. He was hypnotizing.

 _Go get it, girl._ Inner Sakura goaded, snapping the real Sakura back to the here and now.

"Get a grip, Sakura." She whisper-yelled to herself. "This is the guy who thinks you are nothing but a dust he could just step on."

Sasuke's calm and serene face was replaced by that scowl he seemed to have permanently in Sakura's memory. It was enough to erase all dirty thoughts she had about that despicable woman-hater. Man, those good looks and delicious assets were a waste on such an evil narcissist.

"Yeah, we hate him."

_Yeah right._

Shut up, Inner Sakura.

Sakura looked around to see an escape but the universe did her better. On a line of smaller and drier rock formation nearer her hiding place, there lazily sat a pile of folded clothes. _Bingo_. A crazy idea hit Sakura, one she'd never dare to do. But with all the humiliation and evilness she had to endure because of one certain Uchiha, it didn't hurt if she asked for some payback.

The trained medical ninja took steady and furtive steps toward her destination, cautious so her small movements wouldn't be picked up by Sasuke's heightened sensory. That guy had the ears and eyes of an owl. Once the package was secured, Sakura got out of there in a whiz. The moment she was out of earshot, the thief let out the evilest laugh she could muster, holding Sasuke's clothes draped on her arms. She could only imagine his face walking back to camp completely naked and discovering it was this ' _girl who will only slow him down_ ' who stole his clothes. And oh, how much he'd hate himself because he didn't even notice her stealing them? What a blow in his face that would be.

"Just giving him a taste of his own medicine." Sakura reasoned. What she did was only as despicable as Sasuke belittling her and her capabilities. No one crossed Sakura Haruno and got away with it.

The cherry-haired started back to camp and couldn't wait to tell Naruto what she did to that evil snob. Sakura walked on cloud, momentarily forgetting where she actually was and the dangers that the forest held in its depth. Suddenly, her shining emeralds came confronting two pairs of hungry, glowing eyes. With measure steps, they stepped out from their hiding, revealing their sharp canines, ready to tear skin from bones. Sakura was transfixed in her spot as she faced two hungry creatures ready to pounce at her anytime.

"Okay. No sudden movements." She told herself, remembering what she learned in the Academy about saber-toothed cats that eat humans; one of which was that these predators usually travel in packs, which meant that they also attack in packs. Quickly reviewing and analyzing her options, Sakura made up her mind. "Nice kitties." She cooed, as she started slowly backing up while her predators advanced.

"You guys hungry?" Sakura mentally memorized the way back to the waterfalls. At least she'd had some good chance to survive since Sasuke was there; she could throw him at the hungry, killer cats, if push came to shove.

"You guys are nice, right?"

Her predators growled in response, jogging the medical ninja's memory about the killer cats being hostile too, hence, the name.

"Okay, maybe not."

The hungry animals picked up their pace, slowly but steadily lessening the gap between them and their cherry-haired prey. Afraid her attackers were running out of patience, Sakura was left with no choice. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Accordingly, she threw the garments in her hands at her attackers to blind them momentarily, then, ran for her life. No looking back.

Her ears picked up the sound of the steady flow of the water and increased her speed, not wanting to wager on whether the hungry killer cats were able to catch up with her. If they did, then, she must be dead by now. But since she's still breathing, albeit running out of it, then that meant she was able to outpace them. For how long? She'd rather not answer and decided to run as far as her feet could take her.

The sound was becoming clearer which only meant that Sakura was near her destination. As she was approaching the base surrounded by big rocks, Sakura's trained eyes made out the silhouette of a tall man stepping out of the natural pool. The runaway never thought she'd think it but Sakura was glad the evil snob was still there. So, with one last push, she jumped the man and clung to him for dear life.

"Sasuke!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso, causing the man to sway a little as he tried to balance both their weight on his two feet. Sakura buried her nose against the crook of his neck and tried, as much as possible, to explain the dire situation. "Killer cats." She cried between pants. "Killer cats. After me."

"I don't see anything."

Sakura heard him say.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Sakura felt him crane his neck to look in the dark. "There are no scary cats after you, Haruno."

Sakura, ignoring the Shinobi's condescending tone and, for some reason, starting to trust his words, lifted her head back just far enough to look at him in the eyes. They were deep and dark, like he was always carrying the night sky in his eyes.

_Interesting._

But what's more interesting was that _thing_ poking at her stomach.

_Very interesting._

Inner Sakura forced the young medic to confirm her suspicion and, being the obedient woman that she was, the young woman lowered her gaze between her and Sasuke. Both Inner and Oouter Sakura widened their eyes in astonishment.

 _Blessed and highly favored!_ Inner Sakura mused. _No wonder the guy thinks he's a gift to humanity. He's the whole package!_

For the second time that night, Inner and Outer Sakure were both in agreement.

"T-that's because you surprised me!"

Sakura tore her engrossed gaze away from the 'package' and back to the face she couldn't recognize.

_Is the Great Sasuke Uchiha… blushing?_

The young medic couldn't believe her own eyes; given it was dark and his face was illuminated only by the moonlight. Plus the fact that, from what she had learned about the total snob, it was impossible for him to get flustered, especially because of her. But before Sakura could confront him… and maybe tease him about it, if she actually had the ability to form sentence after witnessing _'the thing'_ , the flustered snob unceremoniously dropped Sakura on the ground.

"Hey!" The pang of pain helped her with the 'forming coherent sentences' problem. She pushed herself off the pebbly ground, dusting dirt off her hands and butt and glaring at the naked man turning away from her.

"I placed my clothes here somewhere." Sasuke said to himself, not minding the fact that his back view was in full display to one very angry and very guilty Haruno.

Time to come clean.

"About that…" She began, intense glare softening to embarrassed, looking everywhere but at the naked man.

"What did you do?"

Of course, Sasuke Uchiha had good deduction skills too. He quickly and easily caught on, narrowing his eyes at the possible culprit as he kept his back on Sakura.

 _Yes, tell him, Sakura._ Inner Sakura goaded. _Tell the naked man why he is naked._

"The killer cats." Sakura unconsciously shifted her weight to the side, scratching a finger against her cheek, very telling signs of her guilt. "The ones after me? Well, I panicked a little. So…" A short laugh tumbled out of her lips. She meant it to ease the heavy tension forming between them. Now that Sasuke fully faced her, eyes promising bodily pain, the soft chuckle came out awkward.

And when Sasuke was running out of patience, he took an intimidating step forward, forgetting about his current situation, to force the truth out of the woman.

"Ithrewthematthekillercatsasdistraction." Sakura blurted out in one breath.

"What?"

He wasn't just mad. Sasuke Uchiha was boiling in anger.

"You threw them at the killer cats as distraction?"

Protector-covered arms flew to cover Sakura's face, bracing herself for the coming KO punch. She was sure the woman-hater wasn't above hitting a girl after what she had done.

But despite appearances, Sasuke was above hitting a girl.

Sakura dropped her arms when a moment passed and she was still standing, completely unscathed. Realizing belatedly that Sasuke was just a foot away from her and becoming hyperaware that Sasuke wasn't wearing any clothes. Well, because she threw them at the killer cats.

"Oh, your boner is gone." Sakura slapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she just said and made sure her eyes were just staring at his deep and dark orbs.

And not somewhere down south.

"Yeah, girls stealing clothes and throwing them at killer cats can do that to a guy."

Sakura could feel his suppressed anger by the way his hands squeezed her forearms, then, spun her around to the general direction of their camp. Good idea, she thought. Since the jade eyes couldn't keep themselves from drifting down that dangerous place.

"Now walk, you thief."

Sakura did as she was ordered, feeling exactly like what Sasuke called her – a thief who got caught in the middle of a sloppy job, arrested and forced to do the walk of shame. Only differences from an actual police arrest were: one, she wasn't actually under arrest and two, Sasuke wasn't aiming a gun at her in case she flees.

 _Speaking of guns…_ No! No, speaking of guns, the medic scolded her Inner Sakura and continued down the path back to the camp, serving as human shield for the naked Sasuke. All the while uneasy, a little nervous and a bit… turned on because have you seen the size of his _thing_?

 _Yeah._ Inner Sakura had this silly, all pleased and satisfied smile plastered across her goof-ball face while Outer Sakura had to fight a sudden rush of heat. The clothe stealer mentally slapped the silly smile off that stupid goof-ball. No more thinking about it too, she berated her inner self.

But Inner Sakura refused to listen. That stubborn bitch. So, now, Sakura had to deal with her inner self staging a rebellion.

A part of her wanted to just strangle the guy in his sleep; another part had no qualms jumping him naked. Granting that her reason was life or death, still, she had no business thinking about that woman-hater's _'business'._ But silly Sakura kept forgetting that if there was one universal truth we all share, it was that the line between love and hate was a thin one.

In her case, lust and hate and _thread_ -thin.

**Author's Note:**

> Main girl stealing main guy's clothes isn't at all original but honestly, I just wanted a mental image of SasuSaku in that compromising position. Ahahaha. I'm sure I'm not the only one! Who liked the return of Inner Sakura? Leave some comments. :D


End file.
